Letters from Lucy Loon is a heartwarming tale of community, curiosity, and the enduring love between a parent and child. Join Lucy Loon as she fiercely determines that she must experience the opportunity of living in the Northwoods for the winter instead of flying south with her mother, as loons do. With the help of the other parents in the Northwoods community, Lucy experiences winter with her Northwoods animal friends by learning how they live and survive in this cold climate with lots of snow. Lucy writes poems and notes on postcards to stay in touch with her mother, who reads them from her location in the warm waters off the Florida coast.
Young readers will relish learning about what animals do during cold winters, as well as have fun with the playful poetry that describes each scene. Parents will recognize the heart-aching pull of children determined to learn about life on their own terms and trusting a supportive community to help them achieve that.
Sandra Hisakuni is a writer, poet, and English language teacher who has lived and taught in Japan, China, and the United States. She is the author of the award-winning The Northland Beckons: An Illustrated Haiku Journey. She enjoys spending time in the wilderness and with her son and daughter. She lives in Minnesota, wandering between Minneapolis, Duluth, and the end of the Gunflint Trail.
Sofia Hisakuni is an illustrator who lives in Minneapolis, MN. Her work is inspired by her upbringing in Japan, Minnesota, and time spent living in California. She enjoys illustrating creatures and nature with a balance of simplicity and charm. Her hand-drawn artwork captures the natural world that is unperformed and whole; small things made significant. Her work lives in the space between worlds—fusing the vast wilderness of Minnesota, warmth of California, and the quiet elegance and modern enchantment of Japan. Her art speaks to the tenderness within all of us.
"What if a loon didn't want to fly south? With help from her wilderness friends, Lucy gets her wish and a whole lot more in this fun and playfully illustrated story about winter in the deep woods—complete with riddles, loon poetry, and airmail between Lucy and Mama Loon." — Staci Drouillard, author of A Family Tree
"Hisakuni and Hisakuni have done it again! The winter woods come alive in this mother-daughter duo's celebration of poetry and nature. Letters from Lucy Loon is truly delightful!" — Suzanne Kamata, author of The Mermaid of Lake Michigan and Pop Flies, Robo-Pets, and Other Disasters
"A lovely picture book about how wild animals deal with a Minnesota winter, a celebration of letter-writing, and a quick primer on poetic styles. Add to this the evocative and delightful illustrations, and there is much to explore and delight in!" — Stanley Kusunoki, author of Natural Life (Nodin Press) and several other collections of poetry
"Lucy Loon playfully reminds us to step outside our comfort zone, learn from others, and love a northwoods winter! One can't help but smile at her zest and bravery while learning of her adventures with bears, wolves, moose, otters, and others through her letters south to Mama Loon. This book is especially captivating for those fond of the wonderful creatures of the northland." — Anna Hennessy, wilderness guide, award-winning dog musher, and Iditarod finisher
"Lucy Loon takes us on her first winter adventure! We are introduced to all of her summer friends through the cold months as her mom migrates south. She is brave and wild, and by the end of her first winter in the north, she is part bear, wolf, otter, moose, and more! This is a beautiful story of bravery and friendship while being raised in community. Long live Lucy Loon!" — Emily Ford, winter explorer featured in award-winning films Breaking Trail and A Voice for the Wild
